The Man who Won the War

It's an impressive title, especially considering the fact it was given to man who was up against the British army! Who was he? Well his name was Michael Collins. He was one of the main leaders in the Irish War for Independence around 1916- 1922. For one of our classes we have to read a biography on a key player in Irish history and write a paper about them. As you have probably guessed, I'm doing mine on Collins.
All in all, he's an interesting character. Many give him credit for starting the war with England and then eventually signing the treaty that ended the the War. But really its his personality that fascinates me the most. When people describe him, it's almost as thought they are describing two entirely different individuals. On one hand, he was a strong, dedicated, focused leader. He was extremely organized, confident in his goals, and determined to achieve them. Many respected him. But, he was also known for being a sore-loser, cocky, rude and brash. Even his closest friends did not always trust him to lead the independence movement. How is it that one man could have such an amazing impact on the history of a country, but be such a rough person? It seems that most other biographies I have read in the past focused on the positive side of someone's character. But this one gave an honest reflection on the negative side of Collins.
It got me to thinking, what would someone say if they wrote a biography about me someday? Now, this is an unrealistic question since I am not nearly famous enough to have someone want to write down my story, but go with me on this. It's an interesting question to ask yourself. It makes you reflect on the positive and negative sides of your character. In pondering this question, I was reminded of a cheesy Christian song, probably from the 90's... but I had to appreciate some of the lyrics. I think it went (and excuse me if I'm a little off), "I want to leave a legacy. How will they remember me? Did I choose to love? I want to leave a mark on things. I want to leave an offering." I can't remember who sang this; I'm sure you could Google it. But I like these lyrics because it makes me think. Even if no one ever writes my biography, what do the people who I come into contact with every day say about me? Do my actions show them love and kindness? Is my life an offering to God? A way to glorify Him? I really hope so.